


Warning: Baby On Board

by HookLineSinker5



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Captain Hook | Killian Jones In Love, Captain Hook | Killian Jones/Emma Swan Fluff, Cravings, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Hormones, Humor, Love, POV Captain Hook | Killian Jones, Pregnancy, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-27
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-05-29 09:49:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6369994
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HookLineSinker5/pseuds/HookLineSinker5
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post Underworld One-Shot.</p>
<p>Credit to @ShimmeringCrown on twitter for the idea!</p>
<p>At 5 months pregnant, Killian must try his best to dodge every hormonal curveball Emma throws his way.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It was a peaceful evening. A nice summer's breeze was blowing in through the windows of Killian and Emma's master bedroom. They had purchased a house together, upon selling the Swan residence, after the whole Underworld business died down. No pun intended. Too many memories and horrible scenarios played out in that environment and they needed a fresh start. There was a lovely house near the water, not too close, but close enough to smell the salty air carry in with the breeze. It was perfect. It was what they wanted… what they needed to allow them to move on happily.

Much has happened since their arrival back in Storybrooke. But, nothing as exciting as the news they received 5 months ago, to the day….

“Killian.” a soft, but urgent voice whispered.

He let out a soft, inconspicuous sigh, knowing that he'd have to move from the comfort of their bed to retrieve nourishment of some kind. Killian continued to pretend to sleep as another whisper, louder this time, called his name. Nope. Not tonight. He wanted to sleep. He will get sleep!

“Killian!” Emma yelled near his ear.

He jumped, plugging his right ear with his index finger as he hissed. “Bloody hell, woman!” he groaned as he propped himself onto his elbow, rubbing the inside of his canal. “What is it?” he asked groggily and perhaps a wee bit annoyed.

Emma batted her eyelashes and grinned apologetically. “I really want Oreos.”

He immediately fell back against the mattress, groaning. “You bloody well ate the entire package last evening! We have none!”

Emma tilted her head as she leaned over, walking two fingers up his hairy chest. “Then go and get some!” she suggested, playfully.

A firm eyebrow raised as his gaze fell onto hers, lips in a thin line. “Are you aware of the hour?”

She looked around the room and shrugged. “I can't help it if our daughter wants Oreos at 3 in the morning.”

He sighed heavily, allowing his eyes to fall shut. He loves this woman… he does. But, the cravings, the mood swings, the nausea, the constant need to use the bathroom, the heightened sense of smell… all of it was really starting to take a toll on him. “I'm not getting you cookies. You'll have to tell the wee one to crave something different.”

Emma rolled her eyes and, as quick as her belly would allow, turned over onto her opposite side. “Fine! I'll just starve!”

“Emma- that's not-”

“No! It's fine! It's perfectly okay!” she muttered angrily. “I'll just lie here and waste away! It's not like I need to eat for two or anything.”

His eyes rolled up into his head as he flung the blankets from his body. ‘This is beyond preposterous.’ He thought to himself. Gods forbid he would say that out loud! “Double stuffed?”

“And maybe some vanilla ones, too?” she asked innocently.

He gave a deep sigh as he finagled his jeans on with one hand, “If the lady insists.” After getting dressed, not really caring how unkempt he appeared, he walked over to the bed placing a chaste kiss to Emma's lips. “I shall return soon…” he moved lower, raising her shirt slightly to place his hand on her baby belly and kissing the taught skin. “... with your Oreos.” he smiled softly at her belly before raising his blue gaze to meet her green. “I love you, both.”

“We love you, too.”

~~~~~~~~

Upon his return from the local store, he came home to a sleeping Emma. He wanted to be angry at her for making him leave the comfort of bed to go and fetch her her cookies for no apparent reason, but seeing her sleep peacefully washed all of that away. He placed the Oreos on the nightstand next to her head and bent to place a gentle kiss to her temple. “Sleep well, my beautiful Princesses.”

 

Killian came home later the next afternoon after a quick, and well needed, drink with Robin. He had received a call from Emma which had cut the outing short since she was in need of a latte… now.

Walking through the front door, he was met with the sounds of a sobbing Emma from upstairs. He ran to where the source of the crying was coming from.

The nursery.

“Swan, what are you doing?” he asked as he placed the latte down on a dresser they have been meaning to refurbish, and urgently made his way to the center of the room where she sat.

Emma began to cry harder as she pointed to the paint can in between her legs. “It won't open!” she sobbed. “I've tried everything!”

“Hey,” he soothed, taking the paint can by the handle, “It's alright.”

“No it's not!” she sniffled. “I wanted to surprise you- and now it's ruined!” she became hysterical once more as Killian dropped his shoulders. He knew what the monthly cycle did to a woman, but this! This was so much worse!

“I got you your latte. Would that help?” he asked as he got to his feet. “Just how you like it!” he was desperate to stop the crying but somehow made it worse… much, much worse.

“Great!” she yelled. “Now I can get fat! That's so helpful!” her tears quickly turned into anger and then into more tears. “I don't wanna get fat!”

“Oh, bloody hell.” he muttered in desperation and exhaustion. “I'm not- you're not- you're beautiful, love! You're as gorgeous as ever.”

“You're just saying that!”

“Have I misled you before?” he asked as he made his way back over to her. “I've never, not once, lied to you about your vanity.” he wiped the tears away with his thumb before pressing his lips to hers. “Better?”

She looked away sniffling, and shrugged. He chuckled softly as his hand moved to the side of her neck, his thumb tracing her jawline as he placed another, more affectionate, kiss to her salty lips. “I love you.” he whispered against them. Her chin started to quiver again, her face scrunching up as he pulled back, confounded. “What did I do now?” he asked desperately.

Emma burst into tears again as she sobbed out, “I love you, too!”

“Then why are you crying?” he asked, wide-eyed.

“I don't know!” she drawled as she fell into his chest. He gave a soft sigh as he made himself comfortable on the floor, and helped her into his lap. “I'm a hormonal mess!”

“Indeed. You are. But, I love you anyway.” he spoke softly, wrapping his left arm around her and her belly as his hand rested against her head. “Sobbing mess and all.” he smiled against her hair at the sound of the giggle through tears and began rubbing his fingers against her scalp, gently rocking her from side to side. He found it helped calmed her in these times.

After a long, quiet moment, he gave a kiss to the crown of her head as she wrapped her arms around his waist. “I'm going to gather that you've finally decided on what to do with the nursery?”

“No.” she replied with a sniff.

He narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brows at the odd reply. The whole reason she was like this was because of the unopened paint can. But, he kept his mouth shut. He would not make her cry again.

It didn't work.

She cried anyway. “Emma-” he soothed.

“Our daughter is going to have nothing in her room because I can't make up my mind!”

“Our daughter-” he paused for a moment, raising a brow at his words. Never in 300 years would he have thought those words would be strung together in a sentence. He wasn't sure if he'd ever get used to it. “-won't mind either way if her room is decorated with shades of pinks and purples or… adorned with sailboats.” he hinted with a glimmer of a smile. “It doesn't have to be decided today. Why don't we go downstairs and you can have your latte-”

“I don't want it anymore.” she sniffed. “The craving is gone. And it smells disgusting.” she breathed out slowly, trying to calm the familiar feeling of morning sickness. Why they called it morning sickness was beyond her. It came at all times of the day! “Yeah- I need to-”

Killian scrambled to his feet, helping her up in the process before watching as she ran out of the room. A puff of air escaped his lips as he slowly walked over to the latte. “She'll be the death of me…” he raised an amused brow as he strolled out of the room and down the stairs to discard the, now cold, coffee. “Again.”

 

“I want ice cream.” Emma stated as she looked up at Killian. She was nestled between his legs on the couch listening to him read Hansel and Gretel from her copy of The Complete Grimm’s Fairy Tales when her cravings struck again.

“Then I shall go and fetch you some.” he snapped the book closed in his hand while she moved from his lap. “Flavor?”

Wrong. Question.

His head was now resting against the open freezer door, thumping it softly against the cool metal, as she shot down a third flavor. “Chocolate chunk?”

She turned up her nose and shook her head. “Gross.”

“You had nearly the whole pint yesterday.” he argued.

“Yesterday it didn't make my stomach turn.” she answered with a shrug of her shoulders.

He gave a roll of his eyes as he looked to the names again, “Right then… vanilla?”

“Do we have caramel sauce?”

He shut the freezer to open the fridge and sighed heavily. “That we do not.”

“Then, no.”

Killian slowly shut the refrigerator door, lips forming into a thin line as he did so. He knew where this was going. He would be making another trip to Any Given Sundae, and getting yet another pint of ice cream for her to turn down again tomorrow. He should know by now to just hand her her leather jacket when she craves anything. “Fancy a walk, Swan?”

~~~~~~~~~

He held the door open for Emma as she stepped inside. Her finger traced over the glass panel as she scanned through the many flavors. She tasted sample after sample as Killian leaned against the wall, checking the sharpness of his hook. (He’d have to file it soon, if you were wondering.) Every night that she craved ice cream was the same. She would try every flavor and find something wrong with each one.

Every. Single. One.

They would be here for at least twenty minutes while she attempted to make up her mind. He'd suggest a flavor to hurry her up, but she'd shoo him away. He's learned to just let her be.

“Let me try the pistachio.”

“You despise the pistachio, Swan.” Killian stated with a sigh, as he pushed off the wall. “We go through this-”

“I want to try the pistachio! What if I like it this time?”

Raising his hand and hook in the air, he watched as she took the tiny plastic tester and made a face around the stick. “Uck! That's disgusting! Why do people even make that?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose to keep his temper at bay as she tried yet another flavor. “Love… please.” he begged, calmly. “Pick one. Or five. Just make up your mind so we can go home.”

Emma opened her mouth but then scrunched up her face. Suddenly she was in the mood for something greasy. “You know what… I don't even want ice cream anymore. I want mozzarella sticks.” she waved the stick in a goodbye to Dopey, whom they finally released from the tree, and made her way out the door. Killian's head dropped back as he groaned, turning slowly on the ball of his foot.

“Whatever you do... don't get a woman pregnant, mate.” he gave an exhausted nod and sigh to Dopey as he opened the door to catch up with Emma.

~~~~~~~~~

She took a bite of the cheesy fried morsel and made a face as she dropped it back down. “Nope. Don't want these either.”

Killian's fingers drummed against the counter in irritation, as he looked at her with complete fatigue. Not so much physical as it was mental. He sat with her as she ordered appetizer after appetizer. Sandwich after sandwich.

“Swan, what the blazes are you doing?” he asked repulsed.

Emma hummed happily as she mixed ketchup, mayonnaise, and hot sauce together with one of her fries before taking a bite. “Eating. What's it look like?” she mumbled around her bite of food. “Want one?”

He gently pushed her wrist away with his hook, when she offered up the horrid looking orange concoction, giving a shake of his head. “No, thank you.”

Giving a shrug, she peeled apart her burger, taking the patty and fixings off as she did the same with her grilled cheese. Emma slapped the patty along with the lettuce, tomato, and pickles onto the grilled cheese before placing the top of the sandwich back on. Her eyes widened in excitement as she dipped her Frankenstein sandwich into the dip she made and took a huge bite. “Oh my gods…” her eyes rolled into the back of her head before offering the sandwich to Killian. “Seriously, you gotta try this!” she spit food as she spoke, causing him to flick a piece of burger from his jacket as he, again, politely declined.

After finishing, she rubbed her baby belly, smiling happily. “Craving successfully fulfilled.”

He knocked on the counter as he rose to his feet. “Then I have accomplished my duties!” placing a chaste kiss to her lips, he helped her off the stool before going to see what the damage was for the bill.

“Are you serious?” he sighed heavily as he dug into his pocket. “You take doubloons, yeah?”

~~~~~~~~~

They returned home and was readying themselves for bed when Emma gasped. Her hands flew to her stomach when she felt a flutter of movement.

“What's wrong?” he dropped the cuff that secured his hook onto the bed instantly, before running to her side, concerned. “What's happened?”

A small laugh came from her as she moved her hands around her swollen belly. “I felt her.” she smiled. “She moved, I felt it.”

His blue eyes became brighter as his head dipped down. “Are you positive?” his hand went to her bump, Emma covering his hand with hers, as he remained uncertain.

“It was light. Like uh… like a muscle spasm? Or a uh… uh… gas bubble moving? But, it was her.” she watched as he knelt down, keeping a firm but loving hand against the side of her stomach. “Try talking to her. See if she'll do it again.”

He fumbled over his words, chuckling softly. He felt nervous. Excited, but nervous. “Ehm… hullo little one.” he glanced up at her before looking to her belly again.

She carded her fingers through his hair, gently massaging the back of his head. “She moved again. Did you feel it?”

He shook his head, but never moved his hand. Emma pulled on his wrist as she walked back toward the bed to sit down. Killian rested between her legs, as he continued on with soft spoken words and tales. Eventually the words, “I love you.” fell from his lips. His eyes widened as pulled his hand away. “Was that-?!”

“It was.” she smiled. “That was her.”

“Bloody hell!” he placed his hand back on her belly and felt around to feel the sensation again. “There it is again!” His brows raised in astonishment as his face was plagued with many different emotions. He felt happy, shocked, relieved, excited…. It hit him in that moment that he was indeed going to be a dad. “I'm going to be a father.” he murmured to himself. His eyes met hers, exchanging loving glances. “Swan- I'm going to be a father.”

“It only took you five months-” she laughed softly as she bent forward, placing a kiss to his lips. “You'll be wonderful at it.” her thumb caressed his cheek as she placed another kiss to his lips. “I love you.”

“And I, you.”

They finished turning down the bed before taking their respective places. Emma pushed her backside into him as his arm firmly held onto her, almost protectively. He cradled her belly as his head rested into the crook of her neck.

This was everything to him. The woman he loves, lying peacefully in his arms. Their child nestled safe in her belly. This was love in the purest form. He finally had what he's always wanted.

His happy ending.

“Killian?” Emma's voice was barely a whispered as he hummed a response. “I really want Oreos.” she bit her lip feeling him deflate around her.

“I shall return.” he grumbled, throwing the blankets from his legs.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: credit goes to whomever made the meme I reference later in the story. Comment and let me know what you think!

 

~~~~~~~

“Swan! Get down from there! You've been feeling faint as of late, I don't need you falling!” he hurried over to where she resided on the small step stool, offering his hook for her to hold onto as he steadied his hand on the small of her back. 

He had left the nursery for a total of 30 seconds and she took it upon herself to begin hanging the letters of their daughter's name.

Killian had gone from worrisome, to overprotective, in the past 16 weeks. It was sweet at times, but lately it's been getting on her nerves. He didn't seem to mind, knowing that it was just the hormones poking through. He's been well mannered about everything, every curve ball she's thrown at him so far.

“Relax, Captain. It's only two steps.” she grumbled. Her swollen belly protruded so far out now, that she couldn't even pull her own boots on anymore, let alone make it down the small steps without help. “But, thank you.”

“You're welcome. But, next time wait for my assistance, yeah?” he placed a kiss to the apple of her cheek as he took the place that she was just occupying. “Pass me the rest, would you?”

Soon, the name was placed, the crib was made up, and the little baby clothes were folded and placed away. Everything was done and ready with a week to spare.   
“We did good, babe.” she wrapped her arms awkwardly around his waist as they gazed at the progress they had accomplished. 

The walls were painted in soft pinks and lavenders. Flowers, ribbons and butterflies decorated the flat surfaces, as well as the crib that was specially made by Marco’s hands. The main focus though, was the name. Marco had also gifted them with beautiful wooden letters that he had hand painted to match the room.

“Aye. That we did. Do you think Leila will approve?” he asked before placing a kiss atop the crown of her head.

“I think she'll love it as much as I love you.”

~~~~~~~~

 

A smile tugged on the corners of Emma's lips at the sound of high pitched giggles coming from the upstairs. It seemed like only yesterday that she was 9 months pregnant with Baby Jones, causing her pirate to fetch craving after craving to meet her needs and wishes. She was lucky to have such an amazing partner in life, and now there was even more of a reason to love him.

“Run, Princess! I'll hold the beast off!” Killian yelled from atop the stairs. Another screamed giggle filled the house before a piercing blue eyed brunette came barreling down the stairs. Her physical features were very similar to Emma's, while her personality was much like her father's.

“Mommy! Mommy! It's after us!” Leila screamed, lifting the princess dress that grandma Snow had made her, away from her feet, as she ran through the house. “Cybrus is coming!”

Emma laughed softly, her eyes meeting Killian's for a moment as he descended the stairs. “Cybrus?” she questioned.

“Her pronunciation was close this time.” he explained with a shrug. “But, we may need a bit of magic to defeat this beast.” his hook slipped around her wrist, pulling her close. “What do you say, love? We need three…” he raised a brow and plastered his smolder on his face, pulling her into his body.

Her smile grew as her eyes fluttered down to his lips. “You just can't seem to defeat anything without my help, can you?” she teased.

Blue eyes narrowed into a playful glare, as a smirk overtook his smolder. “What can I say? We're a team. I'm good at surviving, you're perfectly equipped to kick some arse.” he smiled wide before planting a chaste kiss to her lips. “Wonderful news, Princess! Crown Princess Mommy has joined in on our endeavor!”

“Yaaaay!” Leila came running back from the kitchen and jumped into Emma's arms. “Cyprus is done for now!”

“It's Cerberus.” she corrected. “Now, where is this hellhound?”

“I've slowed him down, but it's only a matter of time before he reaches us. We have to find a way to guide him and trap him long enough to hit all three heads at once.” Killian explained as he motioned to the top of the stairs.

“Hmmm… have any ideas, Princess Leila?”

Her face scrunched up in thought, just the way Emma's does, before gasping. “I know! I know!”

Emma placed the 5 year old on her feet and watched as she scrambled back into the kitchen. Exchanging proud smiles, she and Killian followed suit, and took shelter underneath the kitchen table.

“Swan, before Calypso comes down, there's something you should know-” he started just as their daughter shook the tiny bag of cat treats. “Ehm-” his hook motioned to the doorway when the cat came into view.

She burst into a fit of laughter seeing their black furball wearing a makeshift pair of heads made out of balled up socks. Faces were expertly drawn on by their 5 year old artist and tied onto the collar by the help of her pirate father. “Oh my gods!” her face fell onto the backs of hands in her fit of giggles, as Calypso ran over to the petite brunette, socks bouncing as she went.

“Do the magic! Do the magic!” Leila pleaded as she continued to shake the bag.

“I believe your mother might need a moment, darling.” he explained through his own laughter.

“Magic! Magic!”

“Alright! Alright!” Emma wiped the tears away, and adjusted the table chair away from her line of view. Clearing her throat, she waggled her fingers before a rush of magic filled the kitchen. She hummed happily at the two socks that were now in the palms of her hand, and smiled at the happy squeals coming from their daughter.

“Daddy did you see? Did you see?”

“Our hero!” Killian poked the end of his hook into the back pocket of her jeans causing her jump and hit her head on the underside of the table.

Leila giggled, running off to chase the cat as Emma shot a deathly glare in his direction. “Really?”

He waggled his brows, poking his tongue into his cheek, giving a sly smile. “What else is a pirate to do when the most fetching side of a lass is right in his line of vision?”

She would have challenged his words if it weren't for her phone ringing. Sliding out from underneath the table, she dug out her phone and slid the answer button to the right. “Hey dad! What's up?”

“How's my favorite granddaughter?”

“She's great. We just defeated Cerberus for a second time-” she laughed as she pelted Killian with the balled up socks as he climbed out from underneath the table.

“What?! He's back? Emma-”

“No! It was Calypso!” she explained.

“Calypso!” he yelled in panic.

“Calypso is here?!” she heard her mother yell in the back.

Emma pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing. “Our cat is Calypso. She was Cerberus.”

“Calypso is your cat who is Cerberus? Emma, I'm not-”

“Ugh! Never mind. You called for-?”

“Oh! Snow would like you all to come to dinner at Granny's tomorrow evening. Are you free?”

Emma stifled a laugh as Killian tackled her against the counter, pinning her against the cabinets. “We'll meet you there by 5.” she ended the phone call, shoving the device back into her pocket and glared at the devilishly handsome man in front of her. “Let me go, Pirate.”

“Not a bloody chance, Princess.” he purred.

Her eyes narrowed as a smirk plagued her features. “Help! Help! Captain Hook is after me!” she yelled.

He gave a dark chuckle and a shake of his head hearing the little pitter patter of feet from up above them. “Playing dirty, I see.” his eyes closed, sighing at the sound of Leila coming down the stairs yelling like a banshee. “Bloody hell-” he breathed.

“Get away from mommy! Hi-ya!” the cardboard sword struck the leather jacket with purpose time and time again. “Bad, Captain Hook! Bad!”

Emma pushed him away and smiled as Leila took over the fight.

“Teach that bad pirate a lesson!”

“Put up your hook and fight!” her little voice squeaked out.

“Are you fierce enough to defeat the infamous Captain? Or shall you accept defeat?”

“Never!” she held up the play sword and narrowed her eyes.

“Good form.” he lowered his stance and held up his hook with a devious smile. “But is it good enough?”

Emma hopped up onto the counter, crossing her legs to oversee the fight. She was used to being referee and assumed the position accordingly. “Alright you two. Three points and it's over. Ready? Go!”

Leila backed up towards the archway that led into the living room as Killian worked his footwork. “What say you, wee one? Forfeit?”

“One never backs down from a fight.” her eyes narrowed and her sword raised.

“You've had a wise teacher. But is it enough?” he lunged forward, keeping the pointed end of his hook well enough away from puncturing flesh, as Leila swung her sword. “Impressive!”

“Get his weak spot!” Emma hollered from her seat on the counter.

Killian straightened, turning his body towards the blonde with a hurt expression on his face. “No cheating! Quiet in the galley!”

Emma shrugged innocently as she twisted her fingers to her lips, in a mock locking manner.

“Hi-ya!” The sword hit the back of his leather jacket causing his features to fall. “I win!”

“One point to Leila.” Emma hummed happily as she hid behind her blonde hair, hiding the smile plastered on her face.

“One point, indeed.” he muttered. Raising his hook he assumed the position. “En garde!” he lunged forward again, raising his hook to the cardboard sword. “Stiffen your wrist, Lei. Raise it more. There you go! Now lunge!” he jumped away from her incoming attack, smiling proudly. “Very good!”

“Hey, babe? Wanna Netflix and chill, later?”

Killian stopped immediately, turning his head to her at the suggested request with a raised brow, allowing Leila to hit the side of his torso. “I win!”

“Bloody-” he sighed heavily, pointing an accusing finger to the annoyingly stubborn accomplice. “Swan!”

She shrugged again, humming nonchalantly. “I did nothing.”

“Come on pirate! Fight me!”

Emma covered her mouth, snorting her amusement at their daughter's taunts. She was certainly a Jones, that was for sure. “Yeah, pirate! Show her how Captain Hook never loses a challenge.”

“This Captain-” he scooped her up, throwing her over his shoulder, laughing at the giggles she was releasing. “is to draw you a bath.”

“Awww… but I was winning!” she pouted. “No fair!”

“Oh, but, it's quite fair to have mommy on your side, yeah?” he tickled her with his hand as he carried her up the stairs, making her squeal into another fit of giggles.

“I'll set up the Netflix!” Emma hollered up to him.

Killian washed her up, brushed her teeth and was currently helping her get ready for bed when Leila poked his hook with a grin. “How did you get this?” she asked.

“I've told you before, love. It's a tale for when you're older.”

“But, why?”

He took in a deep breath as he crossed the room to retrieve her favorite teddy bear from the floor. “Not all of my tales are happy ones.”

“So it's sad?”

“Extremely.” he took his place on the side of the bed, handing her the bear, and tucked the sheets under her chin with a saddened grin.

“Does mommy know it?” she asked.

“Aye. She does.”

“Does she think it's sad?”

“Yes.”

“Oh…. Will you tell me a story?”

“Of course, darling. Which of my tales would you like to hear?”

“Pirate ship!” she yelled in excitement.

Giving the back of his ear a rub, he sifted through his many memories and life ventures before settling on one with her (and his least) favorite red-head. “Have I told you about the time where I had lost the Jolly?”

Her eyes widened in peeked interest. “You lost it?”

A flash of a smile appeared on his face as he moved to lean on his elbow, hovering over her blanketed feet. “It was stolen from me.”

“Stoled?” she repeated in complete shock.

He nodded with raised brows, and slight irritation. His tongue ran across his lower lip as he looked to her ceiling, “Aye. Wasn't too happy, I'll tell you that.”

“What happen?”

“Well, I had help from a- eh, friend.” he fumbled over the word, unwilling to admit that this fish was indeed a companion of sorts. “A certain… red headed lass. Loves to swim, that one.” his brow raised and his head tilted in her direction, waiting for her to put together the clues.

Her forehead scrunched up in the way her mother's does when she's deep in thought, and suddenly she gasped. “Ariel!”

A smile took his features again, giving a small nod. “Aye.”

“She helped?”

He furrowed his brows, staring down at the blankets as he tried to fluff up the tale, hiding the true matters of the memory. “That she did, in a way. She would only assist me if I’d help her in return.”

“She needed help, too?”

“As fate would have it, the man who stole my ship, also stole her Prince.”

“Oh no! Not Eric!”

“Indeed. Someone from Eric’s crew escaped and she found him. He told her of a pirate who captured them and gave her the name of my ship. And immediately thought that I had imprisoned her Eric. Which is why she sought me out in port and accused me of being a no good, ruthless pirate.”

Her eyes widened, jaw dropped at the accusation. “But you're good, daddy! You're not bad!”

Another warm smile overtook him before he continued on. “Yes, well… back then, people didn't see me that way. They just saw me as a dirty pirate.”

“That's mean!”

“Too right.”

“What happen next?”

He shifted his position on his elbow, leaning more on his side now as he shuffled through the timeline of events. “It took quite a bit of convincing, but I soon reassured Ariel that I had no part in the kidnapping. That I was as discombobulated as she.”

“What's dis-dis-combabled?”

“Discombobulated.” he corrected with a soft chuckle. “It's a word that means confused.”

“Ohhhh.”

“I spoke with Smee and he had given me insight on who it was that was so dastardly, eh.. mean, as to steal from Captain Hook.”

Leila was now clutching her bear so tightly as she clung to every word her father spoke. “Who was it?” she whispered in complete wonder.

“Blackbeard.” he whispered back, leaning towards her with wide eyes for effect. “The second most ruthless pirate to ever sail in all the realms. And he had stolen from me. Absolutely no one steals from Captain Killian Jones.”

“What did you do?”

“Smee, Ariel and meself eventually found my ship and I fought to get her back. We engaged in a duel and-”

“Did you win? Did you win?”

His eyes narrowed as he splayed out his fingers on his hand. “Now… what do you think?” he asked rhetorically, a smirk plastered on his face.

Her tiny arms shot up in the arms or with excitement, “Yay daddy!”

“Blackbeard, nor any other man alive, is a match for me. I will always prevail.”

“What's prevail mean?”

“Win.”

“So you were the Captain again?” she asked.

“Aye. The Jolly Roger was back in my possession, the crew once again had their home and it was a happy ending for all. But, unfortunately for the fi-eh.. Ariel, Eric wasn't aboard. She had to search elsewhere. They were eventually reunited of course. You know that.” he finished, pushing up from the bed to sit upright again.

“When I'm older, I wanna be a Captain just like you, daddy.” she nestled down back into the blankets, hugging her teddy bear close.

“You do?” he asked.

“Yes. I'll have my own ship. I'll go on adventures, and the men will fancy me.”

“Ok, to the ship and the adventures, but, no men until you're at least thirty. Understood, Captain?”

Leila giggled while giving a small nod. Her tiny shoulders shrugged as her blue eyes met his, “But I need a crew!”

“I'll be your crew. It'll just be you and me. The Captains Jones’. Now, sleep.” he leaned forward, pressing his lips to her forehead as he moved to stand from the bed.

“Goodnight, daddy. I love you.”

“I love you, more.” they shared a small smile before he left the room, shutting the door behind him and switching off the light.

Rounding the corner, his brow raised with his usual smolder as his eyes were soon filled with emeralds. “Enjoy tonight's tale, love?”

“Like every night.” she replied sweetly.

“Netflix and chill?” he asked.

She laughed softly, taking a hold of his hook, and smiled. “Netflix and chill.”


End file.
